Drinking will solve all my problems
by Matt-On-Matt
Summary: Caroline has some issues she has to sort through but if drinking, and Damon, is her therapist will she make the right decision? Slight details from Klaroline encounters, mainly head canon. Rating may change
1. Chapter 1

It was difficult for her. Difficult to think, to rationalize, to fully contemplate. She knew what he was capable of and still she wanted him. He gave her life when she thought that death was inescapable. The feelings were too complex and too many. She couldn't concentrate and people were starting to notice – guess it was time to get trashed at the Grill.

She walked into the local hangout and thought about how its existence had changed as she had changed. At first it had been where her parents would take her for milkshakes, then where her birthday party had been, where she hung out with her friends after school, where she casually stalked cute blond bus boys, and now where she used her vampire abilities to compel the bartender to give her booze.

Damon sat there, glass in hand. She didn't know whether to avoid him and his annoying questions of why she had turned to liquor, or to sit next to him and join him in contemplating the stupid irony of life. She chose the latter and inhaled deeply to calm herself for she knew the stupid questions would soon start.

He didn't say anything. He turned his head, smirked and arched his eyebrow, then turned back and signaled the bartender.

"She'll have the same."

The bartender put three tumblers in front of her, and filled them to the brim with 40 year old whiskey.

Caroline turned to Damon.

"Why do I have three very full tumblers while you only have one that isn't even half way full?"

"Because I drank the other two already."

"Bad day?"

"Ha, bad existence."

"Bit melodramatic."

"I'm drunk, I'm allowed to be. What's your excuse Barbie?"

"Mixed feelings."

"Ooh. Very vague. But mysterious doesn't suit you. Come on, fess up. What's bothering you so terribly?"

Caroline downed one tumbler in one large gulp. Her eyes shut tightly and she instantly regretted it, it burned horribly and there wasn't ever vervain in it.

"Wow. That's dedication but if I had known you weren't going to savor the flavor, I would have ordered you a cheaper whiskey."

"You asked a question, I needed liquid courage."

"Dear god Barbie, it can't be that bad."

"IhaveacrushonKlaus."

"Fuck, that is bad."


	2. Chapter 2

Damon remained silent, collecting his thoughts; trying to think of how to comfortingly council her against this stream of thought. And then in true Damon fashion, he ignored the idea of consideration and blatantly spewed his opinion.

"You have just completely cemented your inability to have a healthy relationship."

"Excuse me," Caroline said perturbed.

"Well look at your dating record. Me, who abused you. And I am really sorry about that," he said remorsefully.

Caroline put her hand on his and looked into his eyes.

"I know Damon. Your compulsion has entirely worn off. I remember your drunken, crying apology on the night of the miss mystic competition. You had seen how Stefan's cruelty towards that girl affected her and Elena. I know."

"Anyway," he brushed away the heartfelt moment. "Then you date Matt, who hated you for saving him and being a vampire. Then Tyler whose bite could kill you and as you told me last week, it would have, had it not been for Klaus. And now Klaus. Really? Maybe you are just transferring your feelings of gratitude into sexual, romantic longing."

"Why was that analysis so accurate?"

"I may party with college girls but I only grew a liking for them after attending a couple of colleges. I may have a degree or two."

"Like what?" Her issues with Klaus could be pushed aside for a little while. Damon rarely opened up about what he had done in the past and Caroline was not about to miss out on the opportunity to discover more about Mr. Mystery.

"English with a concentration in American Literature. Psychology and the effects of PTSD, that was my PhD actually. Italian Studies, Art History, and Engineering. I doubled the Italian and Art History so it's not like I went to college five times. Just three actually."

"That's incredible Damon."

"No biggie. What else was I going to do while I waited to free the woman I loved who didn't love me back."

Caroline, in that moment, remembered how completely fragile Damon could be. She didn't pity him, she merely empathized with him. He deserved to be loved.

"Damon?"

"Yeah?"

"My mom has a night shift tonight. She won't be back until 9 tomorrow."

"What's your point Blondie?"

"Your drinking to temporarily forget about Elena's inability to choose you and I am trying to forget how hearing Klaus' voice makes me weak in the knees. Let's do something more distracting than drinking. If I recall, you are pretty good doing what I'm suggesting?"

"You're joking right?"

"What?" Caroline said naively.

"Alright." She laid a hundred dollar bill on the bar.

"Beat you there," she kissed him on the cheek and took off.

"Don't you mean see you there," he looked around but didn't see her. He was impressed he hadn't heard her whiz away. He smirked.

"I forgot how much she loves the chase," he mumbled and then tore off after her, determined not to let her win.


	3. Chapter 3

Damon arrives before Caroline, because a) he knows all the shortcuts of Mystic Falls for Elena emergency purposes and b) he has quite a few years on the baby vamp. As he waits for Caroline, he quickly gets up. He is dimming the lights as she speeds through the door.

"Aw, come on! I had a head start. How did you do it?"

He just smirks.

"Well, we're here do you still wanna do this?"

"Damon, don't back out of this now. It's a distraction that's all. People will understand if they find out."

"Alright. I hope you're ready because I've practicing."

"With who?"

"Alaric. He's drunk when we do it so it's not entirely fair but his shame keeps what we do quite so, whatever. I'm not ashamed."

"Well you are about to have your ass handed to you Salvatore." She handed him the Wii controller and they took their stances in front of the tv.

"Oh you're on Forbes…"

Caroline woke up first, which means she was able to take the best picture of her life. Damon in boxers. Sprawled on the couch, head hanging backwards in an uncomfortable position. His mouth wide open. Click. Damon was still dead asleep. He had tried but practice or no, Caroline had beaten him over and over. Her reward, aside from eternal knowledge of her continued epicness, was to be able to make Damon fulfill one request, anywhere, anytime, anything. She had managed those terms because the terms were the same for him and Damon's ego had been soaring to high last night to at all contemplate the possibility that he might not win. His loss.

Caroline snuck into her kitchen and grabbed the reese's pieces and tiptoed back into the living room, where the undead Damon was still unconscious. She began to pour them into his mouth and quickly a look of confusion came onto Damon's face. He wanted to talk but knew he had to chew first.

"Why is it that whenever we do this and I wake up the next morning I have candy in my mouth?"

"All the better to take a picture of you with?"

"Not again?"

"What? My mystery recipient finds them highly amusing."

"I know. They must not know me because I can't imagine them keeping a straight face when they see me afterwards."

"Or they have a great poker face."

"Doubtful."

"So what's your request?"

"Don't know. Haven't thought of it yet."

"Well have mercy on me."

"I can't promise anything."

Damon put on his clothes and was starting to leave when there was a knock on the door.

Not thinking anything of it, Damon went to answer the door with only his pants on and was in the process of putting on his shirt when he saw the guest through the window in the door.

It was Klaus. And Damon had just-woke-up hair. Damon saw Klaus and Klaus saw Damon.

"Caroline?" They said simultaneously. The emotion behind both voices was different and Caroline didn't know what to do. She still had to put on pants.

**A/N: hehehehehe. Sorry but I loved misleading you all. There will be more chapters with more seriousness if there are more reviews. And what was with the reviewer whose only comment was "Children…" I have no issues with it but I had to ponder what you were trying to tell me. Hope you enjoyed my little chappie. This is a Carolaus story with Daroline friendship. Any ideas as to who Caroline's mystery recipient is?**


	4. Chapter 4

Caroline tripped slightly in her rush to get to the door as she pulled on her pants.

"Klaus!"

He raised his brow looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Damon could you um…go make some coffee?"

"Yeah. Totally."

Klaus looked at her and then looked at the floor.

"I came by to give you something. An invitation of sorts."

"Oh? To what?"

"My family and I are throwing a ball and I was hoping you could be my date but I didn't realize you were already spoken fo–"

"I'm not."

"Then, what you and Damon just have casual sex every now and then?"

"It's hardly your business but no, we don't. And we didn't last night. We drank a lot, had a video game battle, which I won," she beamed proudly. "And we fell asleep. Our clothes weren't entirely off just partially. The game got rather intense…"

"That is the strangest thing I've ever heard. I thought mixing Damon with alcohol always ended in murder and sex."

"No, do you want to come inside?"

"Won't that make Damon uncomfortable?"

"He left. Didn't you hear him go?"

"I was rather focused on you and trying to restrain myself."

"Restrain yourself?"

"Never mind." He bent down to get a box that had been placed to the side of the door.

"What is that?"

"It's your invite." He walked inside and handed her the envelope.

She opened it and read the invitation to the ball. She turned it over and arched her brow.

"I wasn't expecting to be here while you read that."

She smiled at how cute he was when he was nervous.

"And the box?"

"Open it when I leave?" He said half commandingly, half questioningly.

"Okay Hybrid King," smiling as she said it. He smiled back.

"So I will see you tonight?"

"Yes, and the answer is the same for your written request."

"Then the night will be perfect."

"Until then."

"Until then, my beautiful Caroline." He took her hand and kissed it and then walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Caroline rushed to her room and opened the box to find the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. She was going to dance with Klaus tonight, she could hardly wait!


	5. Chapter 5

Elena had called Caroline to meet her at the Grill but admittedly Caroline was a little…distracted. She had waited until Klaus had left to open the box and when she did, there it was. The most beautiful dress she had ever seen and immediately Caroline felt like a princess and Klaus was her prince and fairy godmother rolled into one. Wait. Klaus was her prince, this was sooooo not good.

She picked up her phone and thought of who she could call. Elena was obviously out of the question, as was Bonnie. It made Caroline slightly upset that they were really her only girlfriends. She could call Katherine. HA! That would be funny. "Hey Katherine, the guy who has hunted you for 500 years has a thing for me and he just gave me this dress worth who knows how much. Do you think I should go out with him?" Yeah. That would go over really well.

Her first instinct after that was to call Stefan because at one time, they had been friends but Klaus had destroyed him. _Oh My God!_ _I have a crush on the guy who destroyed my friend, killed my other one, and I still like him!_ Caroline resorted to something she never thought she would do. She called Damon.

"Day?"

"Care?"

"Could you back over?"

"Are you ready to admit you cheated?"

"Get your ass over here."

As she waited for Damon, Caroline did what these moments required. She made a pros and cons list.

Damon got there a few minutes later and sat next to Caroline at her kitchen table. He grabbed her list from her and looked it over.

"You forgot something."

"I did?"

"Oh Barbie, if you've forgotten him already Klaus must have compelled you or something."

Caroline looked at the list, trying to figure out what Damon meant. Tyler was nowhere on her list and Caroline flushed at the implications of what it could mean.

"So, you called me; which means you are desperate. What could possibly have happened in between the time I left and now?"

Caroline just pointed to the inoffensive box sitting on the counter. Damon got up and sauntered over to where it was. He opened it and lifted the dress out of the box.

"You are so screwed."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?"

"Wear it?"

"So you are going?"

"Yeah, I guess. But there is something else that I didn't tell you before."

"Dear God Barbie. Do I really want to know?"

Caroline got up and motioned for Damon to follow her. They went into her bedroom and she walked to her vanity. She opened the second drawer on the left hand side and pulled out the Pandora's Box she had received on her birthday. She handed it to Damon whose brow was furrowed in a Stefan-like expression. He opened the box and dropped it instantly, eyes wide in terror.

"Barbie! Where the hell did you get that? Did he give it to you?"

"Yes?"

"Barbie, this belonged to Catherine the Great. It has been missing since my time as a human. I remember it was world news when it went missing. It's worth millions, not just for the cut but for the history behind it."

"He gave it to me after he healed me. I woke up and it was just there."

"I don't know what to say Caroline. But if you do go, don't wear this."

"Why not?"

"Wearing one gift is bad enough, wearing both and you're basically telling him you're interested."

"Remind me why I'm taking advice from you?"

"I didn't treat you the way I should have when you were turned. I should have mentored you and instead you got bunny, mass-murdering Stefan. I thought you wouldn't take well to this life style, but you are dealing with it the best you can. You've been through so much and I can't tell you how amazed I am with you. You have endured so much. Rejection, torture, you father dying. I can't tell you enough how sorry I am that I haven't been there to help you through this, because I sure as hell wished someone had been there for me. So I'm telling you don't wear the dress. I will go out with you and get you another one if you are set on going."

"Wouldn't that just offend him?"

"He likes you, Care. He won't hurt you and if he does, I will make sure I take the brunt of his anger. This is my idea after all."

"Alright. Let's go shopping."

The dress they bought was perfect. It was a two toned purple dress, with flowers cascading intermittently across the bust and down the left side. The collar was a bit too modest for Caroline's taste, but then again, she didn't want to give him the wrong message. It was the back of the dress that had seduced Caroline. The back was entirely cut out but there was a mesh material on which flowers had been randomly placed. There were patches though of the back that had to mesh and no flowers but left a clear path to her skin and she relished in the illusion the dress provided.

"Do you want to be my date?"

"I think I will be angering Klaus enough for one night, don't you agree?"

"Good point Barbie. I will see you there."

"Bye Damon, oh and by the way, is Elena coming?"

"No, I told her she couldn't."

"You do realize that isn't going to work, right?"

"Eh, if she shows up, I will deal with her then."

"Okay, I will see you later."

And with that Damon left. Caroline had three hours to spare. Plenty of time to take a shower, do her hair and makeup, and put her gorgeous new dress on.

**A/N: I know its been awhile you can thank AmethystLex67 for inspiring me to write more. It a hot day here in Massachusetts. Please be kind and leave a review. Make my day a little better. I don't care if its an emoticon. Give me anything. This is the link to the dress:**

**./tumblr_m0ioulMWB51r2n73ho1_**


	6. Chapter 6

Caroline had just gotten out of the shower when Elena called…again.

"Hey Elena. What's up?"

"Are you going to the Ball tonight?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know what to do. Should I go? Should I not? I mean Esther invited me, she wants to talk about something. What should I do?"

"Elena, don't go. Both the Salvatores will be there and you being there will only make them worry."

"When I talked to them earlier, it was only Damon that seemed to care and Stefan who acted like he couldn't care less."

"That's my point. You know it's bad when the ripper tells you to do something, and the "self-serving psychopath" is the one looking out for you. Just don't. Esther can talk to you any night, it doesn't have to be tonight."

"Thanks Caroline, I'll see you on Monday?"

"You bet."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

Caroline sighed in relief. Elena wouldn't be there to judge her for whatever she might do. _All right_, she thought, _time to get dressed._

Caroline applied her makeup, it only took a few moments to apply it. It seemed like all the previous times she had applied makeup had been in practice for this night. _Stop being dramatic, it's just a Ball. The founders do it all the time. He probably won't even want to dance with you since you're not wearing the dress he gave you._ Caroline slid into her dress and looked at it admiringly, loving how it caressed her and made her look and feel beautiful. She went onto her computer and googled hair styling techniques. She found the perfect style and did her best to imitate it. When all was done she gave herself a once over and then glanced at the clock.

"Shit."

It was 8:30. She was thirty minutes late. She dashed to her car and ignited the engine. _It's okay Care, no one shows up to these things on time. Plus, this way you can make a big entrance. No, you insipid girl. You do not want to make a big entrance. That will draw his attention to you and he will be pissed when he sees what you are wearing. Why? Why didn't I just give in and wear the dress. It's just a dress, it doesn't mean anything._

Caroline arrived at Klaus' mansion and her thoughts quickly quieted. She pulled to the front and the valet attended to her car. She paused in front of the front doors and took a deep breath. _You can do this._

She walked in and scanned the room. There he was, looking mouthwatering in his well fitted tux. But he hadn't noticed her, he was talking to a pretty blonde. Caroline involuntarily scowled. But she quickly realized that his inattention meant she could avoid him. But just as the thought of disappearing into the crowd came into her head, Klaus looked right at her. His mouth opened and his jaw slackened. She didn't know if his reaction was from awe of how beautiful she looked or how brazen she was. He walked right up to her, mouth now closed. As they came closer his mouth reopened ready to speak. But she spewed her thought first.

"I need a drink." She grazed past him and he just stood there.

Klaus didn't know whether to be offended or to admire the liberties she took with him. Either way, she wasn't afraid of him and that made him smile. A true genuine smile.

**A/N: I know, I know. You want Klaroline interaction. And next chapter will be loaded with it. Comments? Caroline's hair is the link below.**

./3358/3642079514_


	7. Chapter 7

Caroline gulped her bourbon down and silently thanked Damon for teaching her how to appreciate the harder liquors. She ordered another and closed her eyes, she could feel _him_ behind her and she had hoped to have ingested just a little more liquid courage before facing him, but she wasn't going to be that lucky.

"It would be a shame if you had to leave the party early because you had too much to drink."

"And who would make me leave?" She asked as she turned around. She looked up into his eyes and realized that she should never have turned around. He was too close, just by rolling onto her toes, her lips would touch his.

"I would of course, I know you would be upset if you acted stupidly in front of this many people, besides we have many beds upstairs to choose from," he said. He leaned over to ear. "Mine included."

"Uh…"

"Would you like to dance?"

Of course this would be the moment her alcohol kicked in, except it didn't give her the courage to laugh in his face, it indulged in her secret fantasies.

"I'd love to."

Klaus' eyebrow arched at not only her words but their genuine manner. He held out his hand and she gently placed her hand in his only a second later. And together they walked to the dance floor.

A slow waltz began and soon they were swept into the music and no one else seemed to exist. It reminded Caroline of the scene in Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley when Elizabeth and Darcy danced and the intensity between the two caused everything to disappear.

"So did you not like the dress I chose?"

"Oh, no. It was beautiful, it's just…I already had a dress."

"If you really didn't like it, I'd rather you just told me, instead of lying."

"I just wanted to push your buttons. I wanted to know if you'd let me."

"Caroline," god she loved it when he said her name. "You are the only one that I would allow to get away with not wearing the $10,000 dress I bought with only you in mind."

Here was where the alcohol would do its worst, because before her brain filter could engage the words spewed from her mouth.

"Well, it's not so much that I didn't like the dress you chose, it's just that I could think of somewhere else I would like to wear it."

Shit! She shouldn't have said that. Klaus was persistent. He would want to know where exac-

"And where would you wear it?"

"To prom."

"Ah."

"With you."

Klaus stopped dancing and stared at Caroline as if she had just said that she was planning on having his baby. Oh god, why was she thinking of having his babies. That meant sex. Oh, sex with Klaus. Klaus naked. Oh sweet dear god. Change of thoughts. CHANGE OF THOUGHTS!

"I, uh, meant, uh, never mind." Caroline left the dance floor as soon as she could without drawing too much attention.

"Caroline! Wait!" She heard behind her, just as she had entered the garden.

"Just go away, what I said. I didn't mean it. It's the alcohol, I say stupid-"

But she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Klaus' lips were doing the job her brain usually did, he shut her up. But only for a moment. The kiss was brief, which wasn't what Caroline had ever expected it would be like…not that she had fantasized about it – much. Caroline licked her lips after he had pulled away, committing the taste of his skin to memory.

"You caught me off guard, love. I never expected you to say something like that, well, eventually but not tonight. Everything you do surprises me. Your refusal to wear the dress I got you. When I saw you tonight, I thought you were trying to push me away."

"I thought I was too, but when you saw me, your eyes looked so sad and it hurt me to think that I had hurt you. I only like to aggravate you."

"You look so beautiful, Caroline. So radiant, so full of light." He grabbed her hands and kissed each one before holding them up against his chest. "My beautiful angel, would you go to the prom with me?"

Caroline smiled.

"No."

"But–"

"A girl thinks of how she will be asked to prom almost as long as she thinks of how she will be asked to be married. That hardly lived up to expectations."

"And what makes you think I live up to anyone's expectations?" He said this as he pulled her so close that Caroline could feel the slight heat radiating off of his body.

"You don't. But for me you will go above and beyond," she leaned into him and placed her lips against his skin where jaw met his neck. "Won't you?"

Klaus smiled knowing that from this moment on, everything between them would be different.

"I will but you have to do something for me love."

Caroline's eyes mirrored her heart as the armor went up, fearing the worst in the moment to come.

"What?"

"Walk with me."

Caroline's eyes narrowed. But Klaus ignored her trepidation, instead he dropped her right hand and weaved the fingers of his right hand through her left. They began to walk.

"I didn't save you from Tyler's bite only to kill you in the woods myself. Trust me."

They walked towards a building that was far from the main house. Caroline inhaled and smiled knowing instantly where he was taking her.

"How did you know?"

"That you love horses? I've seen you eying Shadearrow since we arrived."

"Shadearrow? Why would you name your horse that?"

"I had a dream and in it, that was my last name. To me, my horse has always been my friend. If I could have lived another life, I would have been a horse."

Caroline smiled and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Thank you for being so honest."

"I appreciate yours, I figure it should go both ways."

He led her towards a grey spotted mare.

"Would you like to go for a ride?"

"I don't think my dress could accommodate it."

"Good point. Another time perhaps," he said figuring she had changed her mind and was now just trying to get back to the party.

"How about tomorrow?"

"Uh, sure."

"What? Do you have something else to do? It's your horse, whenever is fine."

"I just, never mind. Tomorrow is perfect. What time?"

Caroline his hesitation go.

"How about 10?"

"Sounds great."

"Would you like to head back? We never finished our dance."

Caroline nodded and they headed back to the house.

**A/N: Im so sorry to say this past month has been shit would be an understatement. My computer crashed. I had no word program for two weeks. Finals killed me. Then I had to move from Massachusetts to Cali. And then I got a wretched flu. Hope you review, because this story is losing steam and your comments keep it going. TVD season finale killed where I was heading so from this point on, we will be veering far from canon. Let me know if you're up for the voyage… Otherwise, kiss this story bye bye**


	8. Chapter 8

They got back to the house and the original family was toasting. Caroline and Klaus both grabbed a flute of champagne.

"How old were you when you were turned?"

"26, why?"

"I had to check, make sure you were drinking legally," she said jokingly.

"Well if memory serves, physically you are only 17. So it would be unfair for me to flaunt my ability to drink, while you still cannot."

They set their glasses down and Klaus grabbed Caroline's hand, leading her to a hallway.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I wanted to show you something."

They walked through the third door on the right. Surrounding them on all sides was art.

"You're quite the collector."

"I didn't need to collect them, they are mine."

"Really?" she looked down at the sketches on the table in front of them and picked a few up. "They're beautiful."

"Thank you. Although I must admit, none of the things you're seeing are recent. I haven't had any kind of inspiration in a while."

"Well that needs to be remedied. You are so talented."

"There is something I am currently working on, but I don't know if you will want to see it."

"And why is that?"

"You are the subject."

Caroline blanched, she was intrigued by Klaus but she hadn't realized she had the same effect on him.

"I'd like to see it."

Klaus walked to the other side of the room and unlocked a cabinet. He gently reached in and grabbed a rather large canvas.

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

He took the cover off and Caroline gasped.

It was certainly her, but the moment was one that she hadn't expected.

She was lying on her bed, asleep. It was the night she had been bitten by Tyler, but it was after Klaus had saved her. She had a slight smile on her face and there was an arm extending toward her. The hand was a few inches from her face and it was incredible because Caroline could see the hesitation in the movement merely from the strain of the muscles.

She looked at Klaus and could tell he was nervous about her reaction.

"So did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Touch my face, like you wanted."

"No, I was afraid it would wake you up. You had been through a lot and I didn't want to cause you anymore grief."

"That was when you gave me this," she lifted her arm, fully displaying the bracelet.

"Yes."

"I keep replaying that night in my mind. Not all of it, just you."

"Why?" he inched near her as he asked.

"No one has ever said things like that to me. I felt, I don't know. No one has ever spoken to me like I'm not beneath them."

"Caroline, you are so incredible. You are beautiful, smart, you are so full of light. I fear I will never be worthy of you."

"Worthy of me?"

"I fancy you."

Caroline took a second to process that before she launched herself into his arms and pressed her lips to his. It took him only a split second to react, but once he had, it only intensified. His left arm wrapped around her waist while his right went up her back until his hand was in her hair. Their lips were still closed and Caroline wanted more. She slowly parted her lips to allow for her tongue to creep out, but Klaus had anticipated this and quickly claimed her mouth. Caroline moaned and instantly regretted, Klaus' ego didn't need any augmenting. She could already feel his smile as she kissed him, but her thoughts quickly came to a stop when she felt Klaus' left hand, which had been on her side, grab her butt as well as his right hand tug at her hair. Her brain ceased to function, all she had were her instincts and they were primal to say the least. Caroline started to walk forward causing Klaus to back up, he had no idea what she was planning but her eager response had him not caring.

Caroline had Klaus pushed up against a wall when she broke their kiss but her lips continued to their action. They trailed from his lips, across his jaw, and down his neck. She sucked where his pulse point would have been and inhaled.

"Every time I think about that night, the taste of your blood seems to still linger on my tongue."

"Take what you want, love. It's what I do all the time."

Caroline didn't hesitate, her fangs elongated and she bit down, sucking softly, allowing his blood to pool on the flat of her tongue. She had about a mouth full before she pulled away.

Her lips were redder and there was a drop of blood on the left corner of her mouth. Klaus looked at her completely hypnotized by the vision she made.

"God, you're beautiful."

Caroline realized her fangs were still in place and the veins under her eyes had yet to disappear.

"Thank you for the taste."

"Well I must admit, I was hoping you would be willing to reciprocate."

Caroline leaned into him, her lips practically touching his ear.

"Convince me."

She pulled away and a slow smile came over her face. But before he could begin his thorough convincing of her, the door opened.

"Niklaus! Where were you during the toast?" Esther entered the room completely livid.

"Sorry mother, I was…occupied," his eyes never leaving Caroline's.

"Perhaps, I should go."

"No, stay." "Yes, I think that would be best." Klaus and Esther answered at the same time.

"Umm."

"I will walk you out. Mother, we can discuss this later."


End file.
